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User blog:SetRobOff/All Four One, One Four All: Chapter Twenty Two
Chapter twenty one, if you missed it. http://degrassi.wikia.com/wiki/User_blog:SetRobOff/All_Four_One,_One_Four_All:_Chapter_Twenty-One Princeton, New Jersey Very late at night, drunk and excited guests crowded a large room of a very upscale club. Music played and many well-decorated tables were positioned all over the venue. The lights were dimmed and the entire atmosphere had an inescapable allure to it. The brunette female D.J. spoke into the microphone. DJ: No night at this club could be complete, without the presentation of our next treat. You all know our next dancer very well by now. A quadruple C, he is. Classy. Charismatic. Canadian. CLOTHES….that he won’t be wearing for long. He’ll drop them super fast, if you don’t be cheap and make it rain with cash. Because there’s so much more to him, he’s an Ivy League student, and like everyone here, he has to make a living. So, get your wallets ready and say thanks for what he’s giving. Sit back, enjoy the show, a little pleasin’ and teasin’, and for any newcomers here, you’re going to see that they call him MILES, for a reason! As if they were expecting to see an A-list celebrity enter the stage, the mixed crowd of women and men, roared with screams and applause. DJ: Yeah, you know who I’m talking about! Everyone put your hands together for Milestone! The cheering grew louder the DJ played a soft, sexy tune. The guests could barely stay planted in their seats as the anticipation increased. Once the curtains parted, they all screamed excitedly once again. There he was. Miles Hollingsworth the third. Now in his twenties, he was more handsome than ever from head to toe. He now sported a neat, faint facial hair shadow over his chiseled jawline and his brown hair, once elegantly cut, was now thick, wavy and ear-length. Best of all, that magnetic stare in his green eyes caused almost every admirer in the room to drop their own, as his gorgeousness was practically devastating. True to his roots of posh dressing, he slowly strutted to the center of the stage with an open pale blue dress shirt, wrinkle-free, black Armani slacks and bare feet. With a sexy, seriousness in his face, Miles loosely began to rotate his hips, first in a circular motion and then in a back and forth, thrusting motion, simulating sex. Making the crowd cry for more, one arm at a time, his shirt came off. As quickly as he tossed it off of the stage, a wave of bills ranging from single dollars to a hundred, poured onto the stage. To continue turning them on and encouraging the cash flow, Miles slowly licked his lips and then formed a sensual smirk on his face. Still grinding his hips, he smoothed his right hand down from his rock-hard abs to his crotch, which he grabbed in a Michael Jackson-like fashion. When the crowd began to shamelessly and lustfully beg for it, Miles unzipped his pants and let them drop. His ears were nearly blown in by the erotic screams that followed, nearly drowning out the sound of the music. Standing there in some tight, black, assless boxer-briefs with his pants at his ankles, he slowly lifted one long, slender, toned leg at a time to step completely out of the slacks. He did a smooth, 360 degree turn, slow enough to give everyone in every corner of the room a view of his firm, bare backside and the tremendous bulge in the front of his underwear. “Aaaaaahh, oh my God, Milestone!” one girl shrieked at the top of her lungs, as if she was having the pleasure of actual intercourse with him. With flawless athleticism in his tall, lean frame, Miles flew towards the pole and took a huge swing around it with the agility of an acrobat. Leaping from the pole, he then executed a one-hand spring off of the stage, landing on his feet like a cat. Now standing amidst the thirsty crowd, he slowly began to walk through, dancing rhythmically along the way and flexing his ‘goods’. Touching was very much allowed but security walked closer to limit how much of it was done by the audience. One tall, wiry girl with glasses, humbly walked over and placed a twenty-dollar bill in his hand. Miles blew her a kiss to thank her. Another young lady gave him a sip of her Mojito and fifty dollars. The third guest to approach him, a gay man in a sharp suit, made the boldest move. The man reached out his hand with a hundred dollar bill in it, pressed it against Miles’s chest and started it sliding it down his abdomen until he reached his waist area. Miles coyly pulled the waistband of his boxers out a little bit and allowed the guest to place the cash inside of it. The guy squealed excitedly as his fingers happened to brush Miles’s neatly trimmed pubic hairs in the process. Miles winked at him and then walked away sensually to other admiring guests. It was an open-minded, diverse setting. The guests as well as the strippers were of all races, genders and sexual orientations. Miles didn’t discriminate one bit; he was nice to all of his customers and was paid handsomely for it. He did not return their sexual interest in him; he just had to survive. But he did his job so well, that he even thrived financially. As one of the final performances of the night, Miles collected his cash and headed straight to the locker room to get dressed. After the small percentage of his tips that he’d have to share when he cashes out, he’d still end up with a little over eight hundred dollars. Having grown up extremely wealthy, he didn’t come to appreciate money so much until he had only himself to rely on for food, clothing and his education. He has worked multiple dead end jobs from foodservice to maintenance before he found the guts to step into the world of exotic dancing, which he has been doing for less than a year. Dressed in jeans and his blue, Princeton University sweatshirt, Miles pulled out his cellphone to call his roommate, whom he always paid for a ride back to the dorms. Before he can dial the number, he noticed two text messages and an alert to a voicemail. He read the first one, which was from his sister, whom he’s been back in touch with since she was released from prison. Text from Frankie: Hey Miles <3. I just thought you’d like to know Maya’s home now… Just reading that certain “four-letter M-word” nearly made Miles drop the phone and his heart skip a beat. After all these years, thinking of that girl--now a young woman--still gave him butterflies. The very mention of that name, that he’s been avoiding saying or hearing for his own sake, still made his knees weak. So weak, in fact, that he to take a seat on the narrow bench in front of the lockers. He exhaled slowly and started letting his mind wonder. Should I be excited? Well, I am. But should I be ASHAMED to be excited? Miles thought. What about me? Does she know how I’m making out in Princeton? Does she even care? Of course she does, Miles ultimately reasoned. Caring is Maya Matlin’s middle name. However, he would never understand one hundred percent why she pushed him away. Luckily, he understood at least eighty percent. He thought about the last two times he has seen her face and how unfortunate the circumstances were; the courtroom where she was found guilty of manslaughter and at her old house, after her mother’s funeral. He got it and he knew even back then that she never meant to hurt him. Still, there was that nagging small percent of him that didn’t understand why she seemingly didn’t trust his love and loyalty enough to let him stick with her through it all. Surely, there were things going on behind those prison walls that no one but Maya, his sister and their friends would ever understand but before Miles even allowed himself the heartache of speculating, he pushed Maya Matlin to the back of his mind; something that wasn’t easy to learn how to do. Moving on to the next text message, this one didn’t make him feel any better. Text from number not saved under his contacts: I really miss you, son. I know this is the twentieth or so time that I have contacted you but I’ll keep trying. MILES: I have nothing to say to you. Fuck off. A fellow dancer that walked by reacted with "Huh?" MILES: Oh, sorry, Evan, I was talking to myself. Miles looked back down at his phone, feeling his hand tremble with nerves. The huge physical altercation he had with his father was still, after nearly six years, the last time he has ever had any contact with him whatsoever. Only recently have Mr. Hollingsworth begin attempting to reach out to Miles, having established a peaceful existence with Hunter and then Frankie upon her prison release but Miles refused any conversation with him. As far as his mother was concerned, she was just as much out of his mind as well. What kind of parents were they, anyway? Miles made a mental note to put his father’s number on block once he gets a chance to; the strange thing is, why hasn’t he done it when the first message was sent? IF there was even a small part of him that wanted to speak to his father, he was going to resist it with every ounce of strength in him. Lastly, Miles checked his voicemail message. Again, it was his father. MILES: Ugh. With a grunt of disgust upon hearing his voice, he promptly hung it up and called his roommate to come pick him up. Back in Toronto All fresh and clean, Tiny emerged from the bathroom in a white, silk bathrobe and walked down the hallway on the second floor of his condo where the master bedroom was. As soon as he stepped in, he was instantly thrilled yet faintly disappointed at what he was seeing. Shay’s face was planted between the smooth, shapely legs of their latest female guest, Ramona, whom was moaning erotically on the bed. Both girls were totally nude, as their bodies gleamed in the light. TINY: Um, why’d you start without me? Shay lifted her head up and smiled. SHAY: Nothing actually ‘started’, babe. It’s just a warm-up. TINY:(with a shrug) If you say so Shay got off of the bed and walked towards her man. She kissed him passionately with plenty of tongue and then helped him disrobe so that he was as naked as she and their guest were. SHAY:(in a sensual whisper) Now, bring your fine black ass over here. As Shay led Tiny to the bed by his hand, the silky-haired Guyanese beauty Ramona grinned lustfully and handed a condom to him. As Tiny started slipping it on, Ramona stretched out onto her back as Shay sat over her face. Eyes shut and face raised up towards the ceiling, Shay stroked the sides of Ramona’s hair, twirled it between her fingers and gasped with pleasure.” Oooooh.” From there, Tiny climbed onto the bed, spread Ramona’s legs open and made his way inside. Over at Zig and Zig’s place in the wee hours of the morning, where it was still very much dark, the happily married, expectant couple were warm asleep in their bed, as a very mild snowstorm came down outside the window. Suddenly, Zoe woke up and gasped. ZOE: The hell…?" She looked around the bedroom, which was just as dark as her very eerie dream. A dream, a nightmare to be exact, that she couldn’t make any sense of because everything was just pitch-black and cold. Even with the lack of light in the room, Zoe looked to her side and was able to make out the form of her sleeping husband, snoring gently. As quietly as possible, she slipped out of the bed in her olive-green, maternity nightgown and walked to the ensuite bathroom to drain her full bladder; something she has had to do more times than ever since she’s been pregnant. While on the toilet, Zoe felt the small life in her womb kick just a couple of times. Smiling, she rubbed her protruding belly and spoke to her unborn baby. ZOE: Hi there. The months since she’s been released from prison were easily the happiest moments of her life. She had her freedom, the love of her life, a marriage, a beautiful, comfortable home and a piece of her and Zig growing inside of her to care for very soon. After washing her hands, Zoe stepped back out into the bedroom. In the dark, she can still see a shirtless Zig awake and sitting up in the bed. He switched on the lamp on the night table to make it easier for Zoe to find her way back to the bed. ZOE: Hey, baby, what are you doing up? ZIG:(smiling) Thought I wouldn’t notice when my baby isn’t next to me? ZOE:(looking down) No, I mean what are you doing up? Zig was confused for a split second until he looked down and noticed that Zoe was staring at his long erection underneath the blanket. ZIG:(chuckling bashfully) Guy problems. With a sly smile, Zoe walked towards his side of the bed , leaned into his ear and whispered. ZOE: Well, I know how to solve that. ZIG:(excited) Hop on it then. Zoe kissed him and then mounted him on the bed. Suddenly, she changed her mind and rolled over. ZOE:(sighing) No, I can’t ride you, babe. I’m too fat. ZIG: Baby, no you’re not. ZOE: Well, I feel fat. Zig carefully climbed on top of her in a kneeling position, so that he wouldn’t put any weight on her stomach. He stroked the side of her hair and stared down into her eyes. ZIG:(softly) No, you’re beautiful, do you hear me? I mean, you’re beautiful all the time; always have been. But you never looked sexier until you started carrying my child. Zoe beamed, exposing all of her beautiful teeth. Her smile and the pregnancy just made her glow from head to toe, which turned her doting husband on even more. As usual, she slept underwearless beneath her nightgown, so the access to her love chambers was made easier. Within seconds, they were making love, breathing heavily and caressing each other all over. At some point, Zig decided to turn the lamp back off. Darkness overcame the room once again. As Zoe felt him slowly pumping in and out between her legs, she closed her eyes and savored it. Holding on to his strong biceps, she felt them bulge in her palms as continued to stroke her. In a heavenly daze, she can hear him whispering sweet nothings in her; she didn’t catch every word he was saying but it was soothing, sensational and relaxing. Eyes still closed, it was extremely pleasurable for both of them, until a disturbing image flashed through her head. Once again, she was in that dark, cold place that she felt in the dream she had just moments ago but this time, she could make out a face. Zoe ignored it at first until it flashed through her mind again. There he was, she imagined, Officer Ortiz, kneeling over her, violating her body and smiling down at her devilishly. Zoe whimpered with alarm but Zig easily mistook it for an erotic moan. Suddenly, Zoe flashbacked to another moment of victimization by the evil officer that was much too graphic and frightening to put into words. ZOE: No! No! Stop! Bewildered, Zig immediately stopped but before he could even move away, Zoe began slapping at his arms and shoulders. ZOE: Get off of me! Just fucking get off of me! He didn’t have to be told twice, Zig immediately pulled away and stared at his panicked wife, not sure what to say or do. Just then, Zoe started crying hysterically. ZIG:(scared and confused) Baby, what...what’s the matter? ZOE:(sobbing uncontrollably) I can’t...I just can’t. Not knowing what else to do, Zig reached out for her but she smacked his hand away on impulse. ZOE: Oh no, I’m--I’m sorry. It’s just me. It’s not you. It’s not you. To try to put him at ease, Zoe edged closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder, still crying. ZOE: It’s not you…. Feeling it was appropriate to touch her again, Zig put his arms around her. ZIG: Baby, I’m not sure I know what’s wrong. But it’s okay. I’m here. I don’t care what it is. I’m here. It’s okay. It took several minutes to calm the traumatized girl down, at least calm enough to say something. ZOE:(attempting a painful laugh) Hormones are a bitch, eh? ZIG: Huh? ZOE: Pregnancy hormones. We’re unpredictable. Thank you for not being like most idiot guys and running for hills. That’s why I love you. There you have it; Zoe still couldn’t bring herself to confide in him about the most terrifying experience of her life, even if it was just an intimate moment with her husband that unexpectedly triggered her outburst. ZIG: I love you too, Zoe, but are you sure that’s all? ZOE: Yeah, yeah, don’t worry. She kissed him and then turned over on her side. ZOE: Here. Just...just hold me. ZIG: Okay. Zig spooned up behind her on his side, put his arm around her and softly caressed her belly in a circular motion. Almost instantly, she was asleep again. Zig never stopped holding her but he couldn’t fall back asleep. He laid there well past sunrise still wondering what was going on with his wife. He didn’t overthink things, however, because this was the first such incident like this he’s ever seen. Still, something just didn’t seem quite right about what just happened. He couldn’t shake the feeling that there was a deeper, more unforgiving explanation than mere pregnancy hormones; he just didn’t know exactly what. Meanwhile, Maya’s morning was simple; she had breakfast, showered, dressed and reported to her parole officer’s office on time. The meeting was brief but important. Her no-nonsense, middle-aged, red-haired P.O., Officer Randy Sheach, was stern and straight to the point. SHEACH: So, that’s all for now. I’ll see you back here next month, on time. Until then, try to find employment and definitely stay out of trouble. The smallest infraction will easily put you back in prison for a minimum of six months or a maximum of the year and a half that you still owe to the province. Is that clear? MAYA:(with a nod) Yes, sir. SHEACH: Okay. Have a good day. MAYA: You too. Maya gave her parole officer a respectful grin and then left the office without another word. Upon leaving the building she immediately spotted a bus pulling up about two blocks away, so she dashed towards the stop to catch it in time. Less than twenty minutes later, she got off at the stop closest to her house, which was only around the corner. As Maya turned the corner and walked up the block, she witnessed a mildly violent scene taking place in front of the building she lived in. Three thugs were cursing and shoving a young man around from all directions, threatening him. The closer Maya got, the more she began to recognize the familiarity of the victim’s face. It was her only brother, Julian Matlin, except much taller. Enraged and with little regard for her own safety, Maya raced into the middle of the scene, stood in front of her brother and put her fists up towards anyone who tried to get close again. MAYA: Back the fuck off! JULIAN:(surprised) Whoa! Maya? When did you… Maya put her hand up to silence him without taking her eyes off of the three menaces standing in front of them. Although outnumbered and outsized, there was something about the fiery glare and the boldness demonstrated by this petite blonde that made the men nervous. Still, neither of them were willing to show it, of course. THE FIRST GUY: When this piece of shit gives me my money, then we’ll back off. MAYA: Julian, do you owe these guys any money and if so, how much? Julian hung his head with shame and reluctantly answered. JULIAN: Yeah….fifty bucks. Maya shook her head and silently growled with irritation as she dug into her purse for some money. When she found fifty bucks, she held it out towards the first guy. MAYA:(coldly) Here. The guy glanced at the bill as if it was a venomous snake and then looked back at Maya with a sneer. MAYA:(annoyed) Well…. He reluctantly took the money from her and pocketed it. GUY: This doesn’t cover the interest I put on it though, but …. it’ll do for now. I want an extra twenty by tomorrow. MAYA: Stop by tomorrow all you want but this is all you’re getting from me. I don’t give a shit what you think you’re going to do tomorrow if you don’t get that extra twenty but I’m telling you right now...straight up...you won’t. Puzzled, the guy glanced back at his two friends for verbal back up but they were as silent as death. After the years spent in prison, Maya was able to study these three men and determine that none of them were true thugs; just wannabes. They didn’t put a drop of fear in her heart. Therefore, her courage quickly grew as she spoke assertively to them. MAYA: This is my brother and you better leave him alone. Don’t sell any more of your drugs to him, don’t come anywhere near this building and most of all, don’t ever lay your fucking fingers on him again or else you’ll have to deal with me. Don’t let my appearance fool you; I promise you….on my mother’s grave, it would be the biggest mistake of your pathetic fucking lives. If you dare stop by here tomorrow to sell your drugs or harass my brother, it would be the last time you see the light of day, because either I’m going back to prison or that’s where you’ll be. First and final warning. Maya gave Julian a light shove towards the apartment building entrance and started backing away, keeping her eyes locked on the three criminals. By no means was she was willing to give any of them an opportunity to sneak attack her. Once she was close to the door, she turned around and went inside the building. She and her brother remained quiet until the elevator came down. Once inside, Julian was the first to speak. JULIAN: Maya, um, what you did was a little dangerous, you know? You can’t make threats like that-- MAYA(quickly cuts him off) Julian, I’m not afraid of those fucking frauds posing as “gangsters” and you shouldn’t be either. What should scare you, however, is the fucking ass-kicking that I’m going to give you for what you’re doing to yourself and Dad! Shivering like a wet puppy, Julian crossed his scrawny arms over his chest and lowered his sullen face to the ground. He looked malnourished, his clothes were dirty and tattered and his body odor was inescapable in this tight space. Maya shook her head in a mixture of pity, anger and disappointment. MAYA: My God...look at you, Julian. When the elevator arrived to their floor, they got off and walked towards the apartment door. Julian took a few steps back, with apprehension. JULIAN: Dad….doesn’t want me here anymore. MAYA:(opening the door) I’m well aware. Julian turned around to walk away. MAYA: No, get back here, now. Julian slowly turned around and walked back to his sister. MAYA: Dad’s not home but I’ll talk to him later. I’m going to deal with you right now. Get your ass inside. Julian sighed and entered the apartment. Maya followed after him and shut the door behind them. Wasting no time, she ordered her brother to take a seat in the living room. As Julian sat on the couch, he continued to tremble and avoid eye contact with Maya. At the moment, she seemed more like a judge on the verge of sentencing him to death rather than his older sister. Maya paced back and forth in the living room with her arms crossed and a stony glare in her eyes. Julian’s stomach ached and his spine tingled until she broke the torture of silence and spoke again. MAYA: Of course, Dad kicked you out. Of course, he will not be happy to see you in here. And you already know why. Julian nodded. MAYA: The man who loved you and raised you is afraid of the monster you’ve become ever since you started using that drug. You lie to him. You steal from him. You’re fucking violent with him! Are you fucking kidding me?! After everything Dad has been through; how dare you?! Mom’s dead. Dad’s health is suffering...he can’t even walk on his own. It’s a good thing I got out of prison just in time. Because you’re slowly but surely killing yourself and you’re only adding to Dad’s suffering because of what you’re doing, as if he didn’t lose enough. Julian continued to avoid eye contact with his sister, especially now that his tears were flowing with regret and guilt. MAYA: Julian, you’re my only brother and I love you; it would destroy me to lose you. But before I allow you to cause Dad another drip of agony because of what you’re continuing to do to yourself…..I will put you out of your misery much sooner. Julian glanced up to make sure that he heard her correctly. MAYA:(nodded) Yeah. I will kill you. Just as quickly as Julian looked at his sister, he looked away. But Maya squatted down in front of him, placed both hands on the sides of his face and made him look at her again, as she added. MAYA:(serious as a heart attack) I will do it, Julian. It’s the last thing I’d ever want to do but believe me, I absolutely would. Forced to face the reality of what his actions forced his only sister to say to him, Julian broke down crying. He’s come to realize how hardened prison life has made Maya as a result and there wasn’t a doubt in his mind at that moment that she meant every word she said. Although he was now convinced of what she was capable of, he felt more shame than he felt fear. Strangely enough, he soon found out that not much has changed about the way his sister felt about him his entire life; because almost as soon as he started crying, Maya’s heart sank to her toes and she began to cry too. She still held that soft spot for him that she’s had since he was in diapers. Still holding the sides of his face, Maya pressed her forehead against his. The two of them wept hard together for a few minutes until Maya found some strength to control herself and speak again. MAYA: I’m here for you, Julian. I just want to help you. JULIAN: Maya, I don’t want to live like this anymore! She released his face, got up and took a seat beside him on the sofa. MAYA: Then you don’t have to. You can get through this; you can overcome it and I will do everything I can to help you. You just have to want this help; do you understand? Still crying his eyes out, Julian acknowledged her by bobbing his head up and down, saying yes. MAYA:(rubbing his head) Okay. JULIAN: What….what can we do though? MAYA: The only thing we can do….rehab. I’m your very human sister, not your fairy godmother. My magic wand isn’t going to make all your problems go away. You need to work and if you do, I’ll work with you. Only a professional can save your life...there’s no other way. Are you ready for this? Julian hesitated for a few seconds and then nodded in agreement. Maya smiled at him for the first time and affectionately rubbed his head again. She pulled her cell phone out and opened up the internet. MAYA: Let’s do this together. The two of them spent the next two hours researching various drug rehabilitation facilities and reading what each had to offer as well as customer/patient reviews until they agreed on the perfect fit. MAYA: Yeah, you can’t beat this one. Swimming pool, movie theater, supervised trips all over the country when you gain a certain amount of points and best of all, FREE. This is a vacation, not a chore. JULIAN:(groaning) Mandatory eighteen months though? Shit…. Maya cocked her head to the side and locked her eyes on him, disappointed. JULIAN:(smirking) I’m just kidding. I’m excited. MAYA: Oh okay. The fairly fancy rehabilitation facility was located in British Colombia. First, Julian would have to commit to two weeks in a detox center in Toronto before being shipped out to B.C. to begin his rehab. The two of them reread the perks of the program once more before Maya shut her phone off and placed it on the charger. MAYA: Okay, not to treat you like a little kid but I want you to get a good night’s sleep. First thing I want you to do is shower. No offense but…. Maya covered her nose, causing Julian to blush. JULIAN:(chuckling with embarrassment) Yeah, yeah, I know. MAYA: You still have clean clothes in your old bedroom. In the meantime, I’ll make dinner. JULIAN:(with a smile) Salmon? MAYA:(returns the smile) Mom’s speciality, yeah. JULIAN:(with a sigh) Mom…. The two of them had a brief, sad moment of silence and then broke the ice again by bringing their smiles back. JULIAN: I miss her….and I missed you too, Maya. I’m glad you’re back home. MAYA: I missed you too. I’m glad to be back home. Julian stood up and started to leave the living room to get started on what Maya asked him to do but he turned around with one more concern. JULIAN: What about Dad? Would he be okay with--- Maya put her hands up to silence him. MAYA: Let me worry about Dad. It’ll be fine. With a nod, Julian went straight to shower and Maya headed to the kitchen. Later on, the two of them were sitting together, smiling and making small talk at the kitchen table, enjoying the salmon dinner that Maya prepared. MAYA:(giggling) Slow down, Julian! Wow, your plate is almost empty already. JULIAN:(shrugs) I’ve been starving. Suddenly, when they heard the door at the front of the apartment open, Maya and Julian got nervously quiet. “Maya, are you cooking something in there?” they heard their father call. MAYA: Already done, Dad! Before Mr. Matlin can enjoy another whiff of the tasty salmon, he frowned upon a stench in the living room. However, before he could question it, it was already answered when he walked past the kitchen and saw his estranged son sitting at the table. MR. MATLIN: Maya, I want him out of this house, now. MAYA: Dad, just hear me out. MR. MATLIN:(shakes his head) No, get him out. JULIAN: Okay! Okay! I’m done, anyway. He dropped his fork onto his empty plate and pushed his chair back but Maya grabbed his wrist and told to remain seated. MAYA: Just wait. I told you I would talk to Dad. MR. MATLIN:(shouting) Two minutes! And then he’s out! The middle-aged man trudged towards the living room on his cane, muttering and cursing under his breath. Maya patted Julian on the shoulder and then hurried after her father. MAYA: Dad, Julian can’t be helped unless he wants help, right? Well, that’s what he wants and that’s what I’m doing. MR. MATLIN: Been there, done that. MAYA: Have you ever actually made a call to a rehab facility for him? Mr. Matlin said nothing. MAYA: Well, I did and he’s leaving first thing tomorrow. Please, Dad. It’s just one night here. How bad could that be? MR. MATLIN: Bad enough! One night only is one night too long. He cannot be trusted. He’s a liar, a thief, a manipulator and you will regret this! MAYA:(near tears) Not as much as I’d regret seeing my only brother dead in the gutter somewhere without at least trying to help him. Mr. Matlin stood quietly for a painful ten seconds and then finally responded with a sigh and a shrug. MR. MATLIN: It’s your choice, Maya. I won’t say another word but you’ll see. It’s just a shame after what you’ve been through and all that it cost you, you still insist on learning things the hard way…. MAYA: Dad, did you really have to go there? Mr. Matlin raised an eyebrow at her and then walked away, once again repeating “It’s your choice, Maya.” As her father headed to his bedroom and shut the door behind him, Maya went back into the kitchen where Julian was beginning to clean his dishes at the sink. MAYA: Julian, it’s okay, I’ll get that. Julian stepped away from the sink to let Maya take over. He noticed a hurt look on her face; he couldn’t tell if she was crying or not until she reached up to brush a tear from the corner of her eye with the back of her wrist. JULIAN: What’s wrong? MAYA: Same old Dad. Forever reminding me of my failures and how I could do nothing right, even though I know that helping to save my brother’s life is the right thing to do. Unbelievable. JULIAN: It’s not you though, Maya, it’s me. He’s not completely wrong. I did some terrible things. I don’t blame him for giving up on me. I think he just wants to spare you the same crap. MAYA: And that’s why you can’t let me down! Don’t make me look like an idiot. She sighed, shook her head and adjusted her tone. MAYA: Sorry, I didn’t mean to raise my voice. Listen, just wait for me in the living room. I’ll make some hot chocolate and we’ll catch up. You still like hot chocolate? JULIAN: Yeah. Maya smiled, nodded and then finished the rest of the dishes while Julian went to the living room to wait for her. Moments later, the two of them were sitting side by side in the living room, with a cup of hot chocolate and marshmallows. MAYA: So, Julian, I just really gotta ask…..how and why did you start using…..crack? JULIAN: Long story. MAYA: I want to hear it though. Julian sighed and began. JULIAN: Well, after I lost so much in pretty much the same time frame….you, then mom and then the house, I was lost and alone. Dad and I had to move to this shabby apartment building on this poor, dirty block, I had to change schools….and I got picked on almost every single day. Every time I told Dad, a teacher or the principal, it would get handled but then someone else would come along and bully me. I was miserable. Until one day, I met this older kid on the block, named Zack. Just like you did earlier, he saved me from a group of guys that were harassing me, and like it was nothing, he asked me for a few bucks here and there, promising that no one else would bother me again. It was no big deal, at first. I always had cash on me and it was a huge relief to know that one of the toughest kids in the neighborhood was going to have my back. I knew I was being used but I didn’t care. It was the closest thing to acceptance I ever had in my life. So, Zack started out threatening every and anyone that even thought about bullying me until it ceased altogether. Then when the bullying stopped, I thought he’d just be gone but he kept asking for money and I kept giving it to him because I felt obligated to. One day though, he actually invited me to a house party, which I found pretty exciting. At the same time though, I was nervous as hell because I was so socially awkward and a total weirdo compared to all these cool kids. But when they started passing around a joint and some booze...that I put in money towards...I was totally comfortable and confident all of a sudden, once I got high. I felt like I fit in for once, you know? Maya didn’t respond, she just listened. JULIAN: Anyway...that became a weekend, sometimes weekday, routine for the majority of my high school years. Surprisingly, Dad never knew the kind of shit I was getting into because I was actually able to keep my grades up. That was until Kaboom, the new type of crack out here, started to get popular. Zack and his crew didn’t miss a beat. They told me it was the best thing ever and urged me to try it. Well, I did, and I have to say, they were right. At least, the first few times. Take a marijuana high and times it by a thousand, and that’s Kaboom. It made me feel everything I never thought I was….cool, tough, powerful, unstoppable, you name it. MAYA: Does it still make you feel that way? JULIAN:(sighs) No. Zack eventually went to jail and a few others in our clique either went to jail too, died or seemingly dropped off the face of the planet. So, I was all alone again, this time with a habit that I no longer felt good about, but just couldn’t kick. It doesn’t make me feel good anymore. My mind and body just tells me that I desperately need it, and once it I get it, it’s like…..nothing. MAYA: That’s what all drugs do to you, Julian. Believe me, I know this very well. Julian looked at her. MAYA: No, not me. Let’s just say Zoe had a little ‘problem’ herself when we were in prison. But she’s been clean for years now. She’s much better. You can do it too. They carried on with their conversation for the next two hours, catching up on old times, until the most sensitive subject ever was brought up. JULIAN: You know, Maya, from that same day that you and the girls were convicted…..Mom just immediately and completely died on the inside, before she died, literally. Maya stared down at her lap, as she suddenly felt a knot of grief in her throat. JULIAN: All she could do was sleep. She couldn’t work anymore. She didn’t want to talk. She couldn’t eat. Nothing. Dad tried everything you could think of to help her. Tea, foot-rubs, conversation, suggesting therapy….nothing helped. All she could say, the rare times she did speak, was “Why my daughter? Why?” Maya sighed and fought back tears, as this was emotionally overwhelming to hear. JULIAN: But then one morning, she suddenly got a burst of energy and cooked up this huge breakfast. She apologized for letting her depression cripple her and promised to do all she can to keep together the family she had left. Dad and I were so happy, because we thought that even without you, we can still be strong. I mean, we knew we would see you again years later, so it dawned on Mom that it really wasn’t the end of the world, and things would get better. But it didn’t…. Julian suddenly started to cry, which once again, caused Maya to cry too. As painful as it was, he concluded the tragic story. JULIAN: She was rushed to the hospital the very next day because she had a stroke….and...and….she died! MAYA:(sobbing) Oh God…. JULIAN: Just like that! Everything went so wrong! And it wasn’t fair! It wasn’t faaaair! Julian broke down for the second time since he’s been home and Maya cried along with him. As always though, she was the first to eventually dry her tears, collect herself and exude some strength, for both their sakes. MAYA: Julian, life’s not fair, but it’s not impossible either. We have to fight. If I can make it through prison, I can make it through anything. And I’m here for you. But you have to meet me halfway. But don’t just do it for me or Mom or Dad….do it for you. I love you, Julian. JULIAN: I love you, too. They embraced for a long time and then Maya kissed him on the cheek. It was getting late, so they decided to wrap up for the night, so that Julian can get some sleep before what would be a very big day for him the following morning. He slept in his old bedroom that Maya had taken over upon moving in; she grabbed some sheets, a pillow and slept on the living room sofa. At nearly five o clock in the morning, Maya was awakened by a sharp light being switched on in the living room. Squinting and groaning groggily, she sat up and moved her head around to see what was going on. She was startled when she saw her father standing near the wall with a frown on his face. MAYA: Oh Dad, you scared me. What’s going on? MR. MATLIN:(holding a pair of jeans) Your pants were lying by the doorway. And Julian isn’t here because the door was unlocked. Panicking, Maya hopped off of the sofa in just her T-shirt and panties, bolting towards Julian’s bedroom, confirming that he was nowhere to be found. Upset, she hurried back to the living room, silently swearing under her breath. MAYA: Shit, shit, shit.... She quickly took the jeans from her father and searched all of the pockets, discovering that all of the money that she had in there, which Frankie gave to her, was gone. MAYA: Oh no... Lastly, she thought to check her purse, which was still sitting in the kitchen chair where she forgot to move it. Fumbling around inside of it, the rest of the cash in there was gone as well. MAYA:(tossing her purse to the floor) Damn it! Groaning and whining, she hunched over the table on her elbows, burying her face into her hands. As her father walked by, she didn’t even look up as she heard him utter “I warned you”. Category:Blog posts